Dahi Vada/Dahi Bhalla- Holi Special.
#Holi, the "Festival of Spring & Colors" is here and I wanted to share one of the most popular and 'must-have' recipe for #Holi. Different regions have their own specialty items that are made for this colorful day. I've grown up seeing my mom making Dahi Vada and Gunjiya every Holi and I try to continue the tradition. So, here I bring you the recipe for Dahi Vada which will make 15-18 pieces/servings. You can relish these Dahi Vada for up to 10 days, and if you want, you can even freeze them (Read my tips to know how to freeze and use frozen Dahi Vada). They'll stay good for 2-3 weeks. Needless to say, this post will be followed by another Holi special - Gunjiya/Gujiya recipe.
List of Ingredients:
Urad Dal/Lentil - 1 cup
Moong Dal/Lentil - Half cup.
Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp.
Saabut Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Heeng/Asafoetida - 2 tsp.
Salt - 1 tsp.
Oil - for frying
To assemble - Beaten Yogurt, Roasted Cumin Seeds Powder, Red Chili Powder, Tamarind Chutney, Coriander Chutney, Salt
Easy to follow steps:
Take Moong Dal and Urad Dal in a big bowl and wash it couple of times. Soak it in warm water for 8-10 hours or overnight. Take out all the excess water and blend lentil mixture into a paste. Paste shouldn't be very fine, you should feel tiny grains if you rub it between your finger and thumb. Now empty blender jar into a mixing bowl. Do not add water at first. If you feel batter is too thick to beat, add 2-3 tbsp of water. Add cumin seeds and coriander seeds (slightly crush them with your palm before adding). Add 1tsp of heeng/asafoetida and salt to the lentil mix. Now, give your hands some exercise. Beat the mix well with your fingers/whisk (whichever is easier for you) only in one direction. This process aerates the batter and you'll feel that the batter is fluffier after 10-12 mins of beating. The simple formula to make nice and soft Dahi Vada is - the more you beat, the softer they will be.
Well known simple trick to check whether Dahi Vada batter is ready or not is pouring a small drop of batter into a bowl of water. If it rises up and floats on water, it means batter is well beaten and its time to fry the Vadas.
Pour oil in a kadhai or a deep pan and heat it to fry Vadas. Oil has to be medium hot when frying. Take some batter in your hand (or use ladle) and drop it carefully in the oil. You can always adjust size as per your preference. Keep rotating them till they are golden brown from all the sides. While Vadas are frying take some warm water in a bowl, add salt and 1 tsp of heeng into it. When Vadas are well cooked take them out from oil and transfer them directly into the bowl of water.
Tip: Only soak so many Vadas that can be consumed in a day. You can freeze the rest for enjoying them later. To freeze, just take them out on a paper towel and when they are cool, put them in a Ziploc bag and freeze. When you are ready to serve, take them out and soak in hot water for 15-20 mins before serving.
To assemble, squeeze excess water out of the Vada very lightly, put the vada in a bowl, pour some yogurt/dahi on top of it and sprinkle salt, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, tamarind chutney and coriander chutney. Watch a short video below:
And, Our soft, spongy Dahi Vada is ready!
Happy Feasting & Happy Holi!
Hope you liked the recipe and didn't find it too difficult. Let me know if this got you high on flavors. Don't forget to subscribe for more updates. Leave a comment for any questions/thoughts. Talk to you in my next mouthwatering recipe!
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